ive personally never seem them before...but id be interested in finding out

 

i used to have an 89 chyenne that had what i believe your talking about was it a two piece that had a slot in one piece and a post in the other where they connected?

 

if that is it then google my friend a truck guys best friend.....well come to think of it everyones best friend, i think that peice was standar on the older trucks try gmpartsdirect.com and look up one of the older trucks like my 89 cheyenne

 

I think this is what your looking for. might want to cal them to verify what years they fit. http://www.merchant-automotive.com/MAstainlesstailgatestraps.aspx

 

Trust me, googled everything I could think of, and what was posted here is exactly what I was talking about. The MA ones are under the duramax 2001-2004 section, but the description says 99-07 classic body style... ok?

In searching more and more, I found a couple Avalanche forums that had group buys on them, but the companies websites that I've looked at are no longer up and running.

 

You could add the tailgate ez attachment I put on my silverado. You only need one side and you leave the tailgate cables on. When you open the tailgate you can just step away from it and it slowly lets it down. No bang and dent. I like it because I can walk up to my truck with 2 twelve packs in my hands, rest one on the bumper, open the tailgate, pick up the one off the bumper and the tailgate just lowers itself down. It would be an extra protection against breaking and slamming. You can get them at any auto parts store for any model and I put it on myself (so it's pretty easy to install).